Photographic product



April 19, 1966 A. J. SABLE PHOTOGRAPHIC PRODUCT Filed Aug. 28, 1963FIG.2

INVENTOR.

BY H M M M cf. M

ATTORNEYS United States Patent 3,246,739 PHOTOGRAPHIC PRODUCT Arthur J.Sable, San Jose, Calif., assiguor to Polaroid Corporation, Cambridge,Mass., a corporation of Delaware Filed Aug. 28, 1963, Ser. No. 305,178 5Claims. (Cl. 206-56) This invention relates to photographic products andparticularly to photographic products containing liquids for processingphotographic, photosensitive materials.

In US. Patent No. 2,543,181, issued February 27, 1951, in the name ofEdwin H. Land, there is described a rupturable, disposable containerreleasably carrying a photographic processing liquid and constructed torelease its liquid contents for uniform distribution over apredetermined area in response to the application of a compressivestress. The container generally comprises a pair of rectangular wallsformed of a flexible sheet material sealed together in facing relationat their margins to form a cavity filled with the liquid. One of thelongitudinal seals is weaker than the other seals and is designed torupture and form a liquid discharge mouth when pressure is generatedwithin the liquid contents of the cavity by the application of externalcompressive pressure to the container. Numerous photographic products,processes, and apparatus have been proposed involving the provision anduse of elongated sheets of photosensitive material including a pluralityof areas adapted to be processed, each by the contents of one of aplurality of containers. In such applications, a plurality of containersare provided, either associated initially with the sheet against whichthe processing liquid is to be distributed, or separately, in which casethe containers are fed, one at a time, into association with each areaof the sheet to effectuate the processing of that area.

Because the container are designed to rupture in response to theapplication of external compressive pressure, storage and handling of aplurality of containers either separately or in association with a sheetand feeding containers into association with a sheet, have presented theproblem of premature rupture of the container and release of thecontainer contents. This problem is aggravated by the fact that theliquid contents of the containers in many instances are quite viscous,harden on exposure to air and/ or are highly corrosive.

An object of the invention is to provide a novel and improvedphotographic product comprising a plurality of containers of the typedescribed which substantially reduce the danger of rapture of thecontainers during storage and handling and facilitate the feeding of thecontainers, one at a time, into association with a photographic sheet.

Copending US. patent application Serial No. 305,177 filed August 28,1963 in the name of Gold et al., discloses photographic apparatus of thetypein which a succession of areas of a photosensitive image-recordingsheet are exposed, superposed with successive areas of a print-receivingsheet and processed by liquids contained in successive rupturablecontainers of the type described.

Other objects of the invention are: to provide a product useful inapparatus of this type comprising a plurality of containers connectedwith one another by a pair of elongated connecting elements to form astructure resembling a ladder in which the containers correspond to therungs; and to provide a structure, as described, comprising a pluralityof containers especially adapted to be tightly coiled and in which theconnecting members are 3,24%,739 Patented Apr. 19, 1966 thicker than thecontainers to protect the containers against compression.

Other objects of the invention will in part be obvious and will in partappear hereinafter.

The invention accordingly comprises the product possessing the features,properties and the relation of components, which are exemplified in thefollowing detailed disclosure, and the scope of the application of whichwill be indicated in the claims.

For a fuller understanding of the nature and objects of the invention,reference should be had to the following detailed description taken inconnection with the accompanying drawing wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a fragmentary perspective view, partially in section, of theproduct of the invention; and

FIG. 2 is a sectional view of the product shown coiled about a mandril.

The product of the invention comprises a plurality of connectedrupturable containers adapted to be employed in apparatus of the typedescribed in the aforementioned application in which the containers arefed, one at a time, between a pair of sheets which are advanced togetherwith the container between a pair of pressure-applying members fordispensing the fluid contents of the container and distributing thefluid over an area between the sheets. Each container, as it is fedbetween the sheets, is severed from the remaining containers all ofwhich are supplied and stored in a coiled condition requiring relativelylittle space and facilitating their handling. The liquid contents of thecontainer includes reagents for reacting with an exposed photographicphotosensitive material to produce a visible image. The containerscontents may, for

. example, comprise a viscous reagent of the type disclosed in theaforementioned US. patent for producing a transfer print by a diffusiontransfer-reversal process. Reagents of this type, in addition to beingviscous and susceptible to solidification on exposure to air, oxidizereadily and are highly alkaline so that their premature release is to beavoided.

The containers comprising the invention shown in the drawing aresubstantially the same as those shown in the aforementioned patent. Eachcontainer, designated 16, comprises a single rectangular sheet of amaterial which is preferably water and oxygen impervious, foldedmedially to form facing walls which are secured to one another at theirend marginal portions designated 12, and at their longitudinal marginalportions designated 14. The sheet material may comprise a multilayersheet including, for example, an inner layer of a heat fusible materialwhich is chemically inert to the processing agent and is impervious tothe liquid of the agent, e.g., a polyvinyl acetal, such as polyvinylbutyral; an intermediate layer which is impervious to the processingagent, e.g., a metallic foil, such as lead or silver foil; and an outerbacking layer providing a support for the other layers and formed of amaterial such as kraft paper. The two walls define between them anelongated generally rectangular cavity 16 which is filled with theliquid processing composition.

The longitudinal seal between marginal portions 14 is substantiallyweaker than the end seals between marginal portions 12. so thathydraulic pressure generated within the liquid in cavity 16 by theapplication of a compressive force to the walls of the cavity willseparate marginal portions 14 throughout substantially their entirelength. Various expedients have been proposed for forming the seals andinsuring that the longitudinal seal is weaker than the end seal, andthese include, for example, formation of the three seals by theapplication of heat and pressure with greater heat and pressure beingapplied to the end seals. In the form shown, the end marginal portionsare ribbed in order to increase the strength of the end seal over thatof the longitudinal seals. The longitudinal marginal portions open uponrupture of the seal, to provide a discharge mouth approximately equal inlength to cavity 16 which facilitates the unidirectional release of theliquid contents of the cavity.

While it has been proposed to provide a plurality of containers in bothconnected and unconnected forms and feed the containers, one at a time,into association with a sheet on which the liquid contents of thecontainers is to be distributed, a practical solution to the problem ofpreventing rupture of the containers during storage and handling due tothe application of compressive pressure to or bending of the containershas been lacking. The present invention contemplates a productcomprising a plurality of containers and provides for convenient storingand handling of the containers without danger of leakage of the liquiddue to compression or bending of the containers. The containerscom-prising the invention are connected to one another by a pair ofnarrow, elongated connecting members 18 secured in substantiallyparallel relation to the end marginal portions of the containers. Thecontainers are positioned with longitudinal marginal portions insubstantially parallel relation, facing in the same direction and arespaced from one another so that the structure resembles a ladder withthe containers corresponding to the rungs of the ladder.

Connecting members 18 are formed of flexible sheet material such aspaper, plastics, cardboard and the like, and in the form shown, eachconnecting member comprises two strips of sheet material secured infacing relation to opposite surfaces of end marginal portions 12 of thecontainer and to each other intermediate the containers. Each of theconnecting members is sufliciently flexible to permit bending uponitself while being sufficiently wide and hence stiff, to resist bendingtoward and away from the other connecting member.

The product of the invention comprising containers connected in the formof a ladder is designed to be coiled, as shown in FIG. 2, with thecontainers of successive convolutions protected against compression byproviding connecting members having a thickness such that successiveconvolutions of each connecting member engage one another and supportthe containers out of contact with one another. Accordingly, theaggregate thickness of each connecting member and the end marginalportions of each container to which the connecting member is secured areat least equal to and preferably exceed the maximum thickness of anycontainer so that the containers of successive convolutions aresupported out of contact with one another by the connecting memberswhich engage one another.

The strip of connected containers may be coiled directly upon a mandril20, as shown in FIG. 2, conveniently and easily without danger ofrupture of the containers due to the application of compressive pressurethereto, while the mandril (which may comprise a spool) functions as aconvenient means for storing and dispensing the containers. Coiling ofthe containers provides a compact storage arrangement having the addedadvantage of preventing such bending of the containers as might causeleakage of their liquid contents. The coiled product may be handled,rolled, coiled, stored and loaded into processing apparatus in much thesame manner as the coiled photographic sheets with which the containersare employed. Apparatus designed to employ the product, disclosed, forexample, in the aforementioned application, include suitable means forsevering connecting members 18 between successive containers to permitthe containers to be fed, one at a time, into association with a sheetover which their liquid contents are to be distributed. The connectingmembers, when employed in such apparatus, also facilitate advancement ofthe con-- tainers between pressure-applying members which release:

and spread the liquid. The arrangement described facili-- tates feedingand handling of the containers since the containers are all connected,yet are easily separated and are capable of handling in the manner of aflexible sheet.

Since certain changes may be made in the above product without departingfrom the scope of the invention herein involved, it is intended that allmatter contained in the above description or shown in the accompanyingdrawing shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limitingsense.

What is claimed is:

1. A photographic product capable of dispensing a plurality of discrete,predetermined quantities of a liquid photographic processing agent, saidproduct comprising, in combination:

a plurality of elongated rupturable containers each comprising a pair offacing rectangular walls formed of a deformable sheet material andsecured to one another at their marginal portions to form a cavity, saidwalls being secured together at a longitudinal marginal portion by abond weaker than the bonds between the remaining marginal portions toprovide at said longitudinal marginal portion a liquiddispensing mouthwhich opens in response to pressure within the contents of saidcontainer generated by compressive pressure applied externally to saidwalls;

a predetermined quantity of said liquid photographic processing agentwithin said cavity of each of said containers; and

a pair of elongated connecting members secured in generally parallelrelation to the end marginal portions of said containers at oppositeends thereof, said containers being arranged in spaced side by siderelation with said liquid-dispensing mouths facing in the samedirection;

the aggregate thickness of each of said connecting members and said endmarginal portions to which it is secured in the region of each of saidend marginal portions being at least equal to the maximum externalthickness of any one of said containers to prevent compression of saidcontainers when said plurality of containers and said connecting membersare coiled upon themselves.

2. The photographic product of claim 1 in which each of said connectingmembers comprises a strip of sheet material sufficiently flexible topermit coiling of said strip and having a width sufficient to rendersaid strip resistant to bending in a direction perpendicular to thedirection of bending of said strip when coiled.

3. The photographic product of claim 1 in which the structure comprisingsaid containers joined by said connecting members is coiled upon itselfwith successive convolutions of said connecting members contacting oneanother and supporting said containers of successive convolutions ofsaid structure apart from one another.

4. A photographic product capable of dispensing discrete predeterminedquantities of a liquid photographic processing agent, said productcomprising, in combination:

a plurality of elongated rupturable containers, each comprising a pairof facing rectangular walls formed of deformable sheet material securedto one another at their marginal portions to form a cavity, said wallsbeing secured together at a longitudinal marginal portion by a bondweaker than the bonds between the remaining marginal portions to provideat said longitudinal marginal portion a liquid-dispensing mouth whichopens in response to pressure within the contents of said containergenerated by compressive pressure applied externally to said walls;

a predetermined quantity of said liquid photographic 5 6 processingagent within said cavity of each of said cent convolutions contact oneanother for supporting said containers; and containers of adjacentconvolutions apart from one ana pair of elongated, flexible connectingmembers seother.

cured in generally parallel relation to the end marginal portions ofsaid containers at opposite ends 5 References Cited y the Examinerthereof, said containers being arranged in spaced UN ED STATES PA TSrelation With said liquid dispensing mouths substantially parallel andfacing in the same direction; 890424 6/1908 Henry 1,154,164 9/1915Beckwith.

each of said connecting members having a thickness 1710 393 4/1929Williams 206 56 at least equal to the maximum external thickness 102O13844 9/1935 Shermam n of each of said containers to preventcompression 3056491 10/1962 Campbell 206 56 of said container when saidplurality of containers n and said connecting members are coiled.FOREIGN PATENTS 5. The photographic product of claim 4 in which the 15132,749 9/1935 Great Britain. structure comprising said containersjoined by said connecting members is disposed in a coil having aplurality LOUIS MANCENE Prlmary Exammerof convolutions and saidconnecting members of adja- GEORGE 0, RALSTON, Examiner.

1. A PHOTOGRAPHIC PRODUCT CAPABLE OF DISPENSING A PLURALITY OF DISCRETE,PREDETERMINED QUANTITIES OF A LIQUID PHOTOGRAPHIC PROCESSING AGENT, SAIDPRODUCT COMPRISING, IN COMBINATION: A PLURALITY OF ELONGATED RUPTURABLECONTAINERS EACH COMPRISING A PAIR OF FACING RECTANGULAR WALLS FORMED OFA DEFORMABLE SHEET MATERIAL AND SECURED TO ONE ANOTHER AT THEIR MARGINALPORTIONS TO FORM A CAVITY, SAID WALLS BEING SECURED TOGETHER AT ALONGITUDINAL MARGINAL PORTION BY A BOND WEAKER THAN THE BONDS BETWEENTHE REMAINING MARGINAL PORTIONS TO PROVIDE AT SAID LONGITUDINAL MARGINALPORTION A LIQUIDDISPENSING MOUTH WHICH OPENS IN RESPONSE TO PRESSUREWITHIN THE CONTENTS OF SAID CONTAINER GENERATED BY COMPRESSIVE PRESSUREAPPLIED EXTERNALLY TO SAID WALLS; A PREDETERMINED QUANTITY OF SAIDLIQUID PHOTOGRAPHIC